Spanje tevreden over resultaten een kwart voorzitterschap (en)

Spain's Secretary of State for the EU, Diego López Garrido, has given a positive evaluation of the Spanish Presidency, which has reached its halfway point having already achieved many of its objectives.

In particular he stressed its achievements in the economic arena, with the launch of the strategy for growth and jobs for the coming decade (Europe 2020), which also incorporates the gender perspective, as well as the first steps taken towards European economic governance, especially with regard to the Eurozone i and strengthening this area.

Over these first three months “the Spanish Presidency has coordinated the European strategy to channel economic recovery in the European Union, a fundamental priority of our six months at the helm of the Council”, he explained.

López Garrido used seven terms to describe the Spanish Government's actions at the head of the EU: untiring, effective, committed, supportive, leadership, a champion for Europe, and pro-people.

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  Untiring in its battle against the economic crisis and in launching a new model for growth and employment generation for the coming decade.
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  Effective in applying the Treaty of Lisbon.
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  Supportive in showing solidarity to the victims of natural disasters in Haiti and Chile, and also to Greece, a member of the euro area experiencing financial difficulties.
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  Leadership in the battle against climate change.
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  A champion for Europe, giving the EU a single voice in the world.
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  Pro-people, working to extend individuals' rights and to ensure equality between men and women.

He explained that the Spanish Presidency is unfurling against a complex backdrop, characterised by the economic crisis and the Treaty of Lisbon coming into force, but that it has shown itself able to react to unforeseen events and problems, such as the two-month delay in the new European Commission starting to function and the postponing of the summit meeting with the United States.

The Spanish Secretary of State pinpointed each of the achievements of the Presidency within the priority blocks of its work programme - the economy, citizenship, foreign affairs and the Treaty of Lisbon. He focused particularly on the progress made in the area of equality and the battle against gender violence, and in civic participation, as well as on economic issues (see attached document).

López Garrido also highlighted some of the areas still outstanding for the remaining three months of the Spanish Presidency, saying it will work to achieve the greatest possible consensus for the directive on hedge funds, which already has the qualified majority it needs in the Council, and the directive on gender violence and the protection of victims. It also hopes that the action plan of the Stockholm Programme can be approved during this six-month period.

He also mentioned the work being carried out by the Spanish Presidency to help push forward legislation on the fight against fraud, taxation of savings, tobacco, electronic billing, procedural rights, the battle against human trafficking, and displaced workers.